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| Bread is one of the commonest foods in the world. It | | | | One of the mistakes in bread-making is not kneading |
| has been in existence even before the birth of Jesus | | | | the dough long enough. You have to knead the bread |
| Christ. Its prices has continued to rise over the ages. | | | | between 8-10 minutes. |
| Bakers even go on strike over price related issues | | | | After you have done kneading, form the dough into |
| sometimes. The cost of a typical loaf of bread is | | | | a ball and set in a greased bowl. Cover and let rest. |
| between $3 and $5 in some countries. And even | | | | Your dough will need to sit for 1-2 hours to rise. |
| more in some economically ravaged countries. | | | | Make sure your kitchen is warm to aid the rising |
| | | | | process. |
| In the developing countries banned chemicals like | | | | At the end of this time, uncover the dough, punch it |
| bromate and saccharine are even used. It is | | | | down, and shape the dough into how you want it to |
| considered safer and cheaper to produce your own | | | | be when you bake it, Put it into the greased baking |
| bread from home. Neighbors will buy bread from you. | | | | pan and cover it for another rising or proving session. |
| You will have a ready market when demand grows. | | | | When it is has risen, put the baking pan that contains |
| A 50kg bag of flour can make about 100 loaves of | | | | the dough into the pre-heated oven for baking. Once |
| large size bread with a handful of other ingredients. | | | | your bread is done, let it cool completely before |
| | | | | slicing. |
| The required ingredients are wheat flour, yeast, salt, | | | | Advantages in making your own hand made bread: |
| sugar, milk, water, oil or fat and maybe an egg or | | | | |
| two, depending on your chosen recipe. | | | | · It is a way of doing physical exercise |
| There are some quick bread recipes that are great | | | | for me |
| alternatives to making homemade bread loaf the old | | | | |
| fashioned way. When the demand for your bread | | | | · You will make your home made bread |
| grows to about one flour bag per day, you can use a | | | | under proper hygienic conditions |
| bread maker (worker) that will do the work for you | | | | |
| for an agreed amount of wages per month. | | | | · You will eat delicious fresh and hot |
| Planning is very essential in bread making. You must | | | | oven produced bread |
| choose a basic recipe if you are a newbie. Plan you | | | | |
| production batches in advance. Read through the | | | | · You will be eating bread at a reduced |
| recipe over and over again to familiarize yourself with | | | | cost |
| the ingredients as well as the process. Get all the | | | | |
| equipments and ingredients ready at hand. | | | | · It is also a way of providing job for |
| Pre-measure your ingredients. Keep records of the | | | | yourself and family members |
| timing required. | | | | |
| | | | | · You can grow from hand made to |
| Bread making is a science and an art. It has formulae | | | | machine made bread |
| in recipes and creativity in the processing and | | | | |
| designing. Make sure all your ingredients are at room | | | | · You will stick to your best recipe that |
| temperature before you start. Yeast likes a warm | | | | will also be loved by your customers |
| environment and must not be exposed to air before | | | | |
| usage. The measuring of dry and wet ingredients is | | | | · Designing bread loaves will become |
| of utmost importance to create a tender, tasty loaf. | | | | fun for you and many more |
| Dry ingredients are measured into one mixing bowl | | | | |
| while wet ingredients are also measured into another | | | | You can make loaves of bread in two different |
| mixing bowl before they are finally mixed together in | | | | ways. |
| the process of production. | | | | |
| When all your ingredients are mixed, you will then | | | | 1. You can make it from scratch by hand. |
| knead the dough by sprinkling little quantity of dry | | | | |
| flour on your kneading table and dipping your hands in | | | | 2. You can also use a bread making machine to |
| the flour so that the dough doesn't stick to your | | | | make the dough for you. |
| hands or the table top. | | | | |
| | | | | The second yields fast results, but seems to lack |
| Kneading is necessary to develop the gluten in the | | | | that "homemade" quality that comes from kneading |
| bread dough, mix in air for rising, and distribute the | | | | and seeing the loaves take shape from your very |
| ingredients so the yeast can feed. The yeast feeds | | | | own hands. |
| on the sugars in the dough, and creates a | | | | Bread designs will be discussed in subsequent write |
| fermentation process, which enables the dough to | | | | ups. |
| rise properly. | | | | Benson O. |